Gurusinha move and the flip-side of the coin
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The line of faded international flags at the ACC premises
The line of faded international flags atop cricket’s citadel in Sri Lanka was akin to a row of tired soldiers at the end of their tether, waiting for the justification of their deeds. Though they were hoisted with all the honour, pomp and pageantry, at one point of time not so long ago, now, they are faded and nobody cares. Truly, the face of Sri Lanka Cricket now looks just that. It looks tired.
On the one hand, it is understandable. It’s like making a Chicago-gangster movie. There is only one agenda: To win at all costs. It is irrelevant as to who gets hurt or, if the ultimate result is casting the game of cricket into an awkward position. The agenda is, “We must see that we stay in power, and no one must tilt that scale under any cirumstances”.
Just see this sequence of moves – it reminds of a game of chess. A while ago, Charith Senanayake was brought in as cricket manager. Every Sirisena, Mohammed or Milton knows that Senanayake calls a spade a spade, and he will not hesitate at all to use that inborn talent, if and when required. We don’t exactly know what really transpired at the eleventh hour but, the ultimate result is that, Senanayake is still in employment till his contract is over in November. Right now, he is watching matches from his favourite couch in front of his TV at home. Yet, a few moons ago, I am aware that he, along with coach Graeme Ford, worked out a blueprint on how they would move Sri Lanka’s Cricket from here to the 2019 World Cup. How would Senanayake have known there were hit-men on the highway? He was shot in cold blood at high noon, and nobody knows why.
Guru, to the rescue? - Pix by Amila Gamage
Then came Ranjith Fernando, with all his experience and greying hairline. He shuffled the pack for awhile, but now, there is a new dealer at the table. He has driven his Cadillac Fleetwood from another town altogether, after a long hibernation. He is none other than famous southpaw Asanka Gurusinha. As of now, there are three national team cricket managers in operation. One on his sofa in front of his tele, another doing the administrative chores of the playing outfit, while Gurusinha has been given the task of shaping the side towards the 2019 World Cup. He has to manage. He has to select or assist in the selection and be the mentor to this growing bunch of international cricketers.
During his time, Gura was a natural batter at No.3. He knew his role in the playing XI. He was given his first cap as a wicketkeeper, while making his first tour with the senior lot led by Duleep Mendis to Pakistan in 1985. There is nothing that Gura did not do. He even opened bowling for Sri Lanka when the need arose. But, with this 20-year break, is he hands-on? Only time will tell.
Yet, I see the relevance and the role that Gurusinha has to play. It is a very important role. It’s no secret that Lankan cricket revolves around the 1996 World Cup win. Indeed, there is nothing wrong in that notion, because it was the catalyst.
In one corner of the ring is Arjuna Ranatunga who has fought his case of shaping the destiny of Sri Lanka’s cricket, since he relinquished his crown at the playing strip. Since then, he has shuffled every pack but, still he has not been able to come up with the four aces.
Yes, the Legends that made 1996 a reality, do have a part in this journey. So much so, it was not so long ago that, the Legends — Ranatunga, Aravinda De Silva, Roshan Mahanama et al — were on a tour of Australia whose national team they beat in the ’96 World Cup final and conducted a fundraising cavalcade where Gurusinha played a major role. (He even played a huge role in the recently concluded Cricket Aid.)
For SLC Chief Thilanga Sumathipala, who was only a vice president in that ’96 effort, knows the value of this pack and is keen to keep the balance in his favour.
To date, of the Legends currently not with the governing lot, due to multiple reasons are Arjuna Ranatunga, Roshan Mahanama, Muttiah Muralitharan, Pramodya Wickremasinghe, Kumara Dharmasena and Marvan Atapattu.
It is no secret that Aravinda de Silva, the other pivot in the ’96 story, is a great believer in the Sumathipala doctrine. Then, gradually, Chaminda Vaas, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Upul Chandana and Ravindra Pushpakumara joined the fray with employment, while Sanath Jayasuriya was roped in with the Selectors’ crown. Yet, Sumathipala wanted one prize catch, a man who had the hidden ace. There is something that Gurusinha has been carrying in his torso since his playing days. This has almost tilted the legends balance in the Sumathi group’s favour.
The moment he did so, Sumathipala even went to the extent of inviting Arjuna Ranatunga to work along with him for the betterment of the game. The bottom line is that, without the Legends’ challenge, the Sumathi group would have a clear path ahead.
So far, by this acquisition, Sumathipala has won a vital round. At this point, the story veers into a different twist. In recent times, one of the biting issues in cricket was the selector on tour. Sumathipala was not for that ploy, while Jayasuriya staunchly believed in it. This culminated in many a dispute between Jayasuriya and Sumathipala. Now, with the appointment of Gurusinha, he would be able to attend to the selection needs without extra cost to the SLC. Zilch for Jayasuriya.
Nevertheless, getting Gurusinha onto the bandwagon is a good move. He ended his playing career long before the Lankans could savour the riches of the ’96 success. He had his own reasons and was bold enough to stand by what he believed in.
But still, by and large, what the top level of cricket in this country lacks is credibility. For instance, on launching the Bangladesh Tour, there was neat shuffle of names at the head table. First it was to be SLC Vice President Jayantha Dharmadasa, the man in charge of international cricket, who was to chair the gathering. But, the names began to be shuffled, and then, it ended by Dharmadasa’s name being taken off the list and SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva conducting the proceedings. Then, there was a rumour to the effect that Dharmadasa was unaware of the Gurusinha appointment while the name of Bandula Warnapura also was being flaunted. A few hours later, it was said that Dharmadasa had decamped.
True or false, these affect the credibility of the organisation.
Then, there was pomp, pageant and thamasha at the Clubs’ Limited Overs launch. Now there is a court order against conducting it. Now, they are running helter-skelter looking for a tournament of this nature, prior to the Champions Trophy in June.
In the other stinker, the public still awaits the outcome of the scandalous match-fixing issue. Though Sumathipala took it in his stride from the table at the media gathering, the answer is still going in the wind. Yet, the other SLC Vice President K. Mathivanan says, “Somehow, the culprits would be brought to book.”
At this end, we are of the view that measures such as Gurusinha’s appointment should go hand in hand with preserving the credibility of Lankan cricket’s apex body. If not, this will remain a washed out affair like those flags that listlessly and pathetically flutter, morning, noon and night.